Basket carrier



Nov. 16,1926. 1,606,796

H. W. JONES BASKET CARRIER Filed Sept. 30. 1924 wucnloz Harry W J5me;

Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

UNi'i'E STATES HARRY W. JONES, F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BASKET CARRIER.

Application filed September 30, 1924. Serial Ho. 740,850.

This invention involves certain improvements in the collapsible basketcarrier const-ruction embodied in my application for patent, filed April18, 1922, Serial No. 554,702, said improvements having to do moreparticularly with the simplification of the frame structure of thecarrier, and other provisions, including novel latching means forholding the carrier frame members at differentadjust-ments, extended orcollapsed. I have also provided a special caster wheel structure tosupport one end of the carrier with novel bracing means for the same, aswill be more clearly disclosed hereinafter on reference to a detaileddescription and to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of the carrier and wagon body, being shown in dottedlines as being supported thereon.

Figure 2 is a side view of the device in collapsible condition, whereinit is useful as a toy wagon for play purposes.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the frame construction.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken about on the line H of Figure 2,showing more clearly the latch mechanism.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the latch plate.

Referring particularly to the drawings which illustrate a preferredembodiment of my invention, I use a carrier frame construction, verylargely the same as in my previous application. This frame constructionembodies a pair of spaced frame members 1, pivotally connected at theirlower ends with the axle 2 of the rear wheels 8, said frame membersbeing connected together near the axle 8 by cross rod t and beingconnected together substantially midway of their ends by a pivot rod 5and additionally connected together at their upper ends by a cross rod6, which functions as a part of the latch mechanism to be laterdescribed.

A second pair of spaced frame members 7 of substantially the same lengthas the members 1, is connected to the first pair of members designated1, by means of the pivot rod 5 previously mentioned. The frame members 7of the second pair are connected together at their lower ends by a crosspiece 8, having a truss shaped brace 9 extending vertically above thesame, the vertical pivot member 10 of the caster wheel 11 passingthrough openings in the cross piece 8 andtruss brace 9, said openingsbeing vertically aligned. On top of the center portion of the trussbrace 9 rests an au Xil iary cross piece 12, very much like the crosspiece 8' and disposed parallel thereto, the cross piece 12. beingattached to the truss brace 9 by a U-shaped clip 13, through which thepivot member 10 of the caster wheel passes, in addition to passingthrough the parts 8, 9 and 12. The cross piece 12, in conjunction withbrace bars 14: leading from its ends to short arms 15 rigidly attachedto the outer sides of the frame members 1, form a bracing means betweenthe caster wheel mounting and the body of the carrier, in-

cluding the frame members. The brace bars 14 are pivotally attached tothe upper or free ends of the arms 15, and the pivots there between aredesignated 16. The location of the arms 15 is such that the pivots 16turn about an axis concentric with the pivot rod 5, as the frame members1 and 7 are pivotally moved, so as to extend or collapse them by upwardor downward movements repectively, after the manner of manipulatingcarriers of this type already known in this art.

The upper rear ends of the frame members 7 are connected together byUTshaped bar 17. Attached to this U-shaped bar at its ends are thespaced supporting and guiding bars 18, which have pivotal connectionwith the bar 17, and which have long slots 19 at their front ends,through which slots the cross rod 6 previously mentioned, passes. On thesupporting bars 18 are mounted the U-shaped carrier members 20, disposedtransversely thereof and riveted or attached otherwise to the members18. These carrier members 20 are so formed that a market basket may bereadily disposed thereon between the upstanding end arms thereof, or ifit is desired to use the basket carrier as a toy wagon for boys andgirls, outdoor or indoor use, a wagon body 21 having loops 22 on itssides to engage the arms 20 may be substituted for the basket carried bythe parts 20. In such event the upper end of the pivot member 10 of thecaster wheel 11 is sufficiently extended so as to permit the applicationof a tongue thereto, to be held in place by a cotter pin, whereupon theinvention is useful as a toy wagon. Again, should it be desired to usethe carrier frame for another purpose, a tray such as is found onordinary tea wagons for dining room use, may be applied to the parts 20,and the article will have utility in the home for the purpose mentioned.

I do not wish to be limited to the employ ment of any special type ofreceptacle mounted on the frame which I have above described.

To hold the said frame collapsed or extended, I properly employ thelatch plate 24, having notches 25 on a flange and pivoted at its frontend to the cross piece 18 connecting the front ends of the member 18. Atits rear end the latch plate 24 is pivoted to a lug 26, depending fromthe front carrier member 20. A spring 27 tends to pull downwardly on thelatch plate 24 to cause its notched members to receive or engage thecross rods 6 at the front ends of the supporting bars 18 and upper endsof the frame members 1.

It is very easy to rock the latch plate 24: to lift the same fromengagement with the rod 6, whereby to facilitate raising or lowering ofthe carrier members 20 by extending or collapsing the frame members 1and 7. The supporting bars 18 may be made in one piece, if desired, bypending the cross piece 18 therefrom attheir front portions. This isnot, however, material to the invention, though it simplifiesmanufacture.

I have found by the improvements herein described I obtain aconstruction which is quite rigid and effective in its use, and easilyextended and collapsed asrequired for the purposes of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a carrier of the class described in combination, a pair of rearwheels, an axle connecting the same, a pair of frame members pivoted tothe axle, a front caster wheel having a pivot member to provide amounting in the carrier, a second pair of frame members extending fromsaid caster wheel and having pivotal connection with the first pair offrame members about centrally of the ends of the respective framemembers, a cross piece connecting the front ends of the second framemembers and through which the pivot member of the caster wheel passes, across piece spaced from the cross piece aforesaid, above the same, andalso having the pivot member of the caster wheel passing therethroughand providing an axis therefor, arms on the first mentioned pair offrame members and brace bars connecting said arms with the upper crosspiece last above referred to, and supporting bars connecting the upperends of the frame members and provided with means for supporting abasket or similar body, substantially as described.

2. In a carrier of the class described in combination, a pair of rearwheels, an axle connecting the same, a pair of frame members pivoted tothe axle, a front caster wheel having a pivot member to provide amounting in the carrier, a second pair of frame members extending fromsaid caster wheel and having pivotal connection with the first pair offrame members about centrally of the ends of the respective framemembers, a cross piece connecting the front ends of the second framemembers and through which the pivot member of the caster wheel passes, across piece spaced from the cross piece aforesaid, above the same, andalso having the pivot member of the caster wheel passing therethroughand providing an axis therefor, arms on the first mentioned pair offrame members and brace bars connecting said arms with the upper crosspiece last above referred to, supporting bars connecting the upper endsof the frame members and provided with means for supporting .a basket orsimilar body substantially as described, a truss brace between the twocross pieces above referred to, and extending from the ends of the lowercross piece up to the 2 middle of this upper cross piece, together withcarrier members secured to the supporting bars t "ansversely thereof,and latch means supported by the front portions of the supporting barsand by one of said carpair of frame members about centrally of the endsof the respective frame members, a cross piece connecting the front endsof the second frame members and through which the pivot member of thecaster wheel passes, a cross piece spaced from the cross piece aforesaidabove the same, and also having the pivot member of the caster wheelpassing therethrough and providing an axis therefor, arms on the firstmentioned pair of frame members and brace bars connecting said arms withthe upper cross piece last above referred to, supporting bars connectingtheupper ends of the frame members and provided with means forsupporting the basket or similar body substantially as described, thepivot member of the caster wheel projecting above the upper cross piece,and a wagon tongue adapted for detachable connection therewith at suchextending portion.

a. A. carrier including an open top frame, a pair of side bars pivotedto the rear ends of the top frame and extending forwardly,

Cir

a swivel wheel carrying frame mounted between the forward ends of saidside bars, a second pair of side bars slidably connected to the sides ofthe open top frame at the forward portion, means for locking theslidably connected bars at spaced points on the top frame, wheelscarried by said slidable side bars, said pairs of bars being pivot-allyinterconnected, and control bars connecting the slidable side bars andthe swivel wheel frame to insure uniform elevation of the frame withrespect to the wheels.

5. A carrier including a rectangular open top frame having longitudinalside members, said members having longitudinal slots near the forwardends, a cross-rod having its ends extending through said slots and beinglongitudinally adjustable therein, a rack bar arran ed toautomaticallylock the crossrod at any adjusted point in the slots, crossed pivotallyinter-connected pairs of side bars, one pair of side bars beingconnected to the ends of the cross rod, wheels carried by said sidebars, a second pair being pivoted to the rear end of the top frame, aswivel wheel carrying frame arranged upon the last named side bars, apair of control bars connecting the swivel wheel carrying frame and theslidable side bars to maintain uniform spacing of the top frame and thewheels while elevating the frame.

6. A carrier comprising an open top frame, supporting wheels, pairs ofcrossed pivotally inter-connected side bars connecting the top frame andwheels, means for locking the top frame at any elevation, and controlbars arranged to permit automatic uniform elevation of the entire topframe.

7. A carrier comprising an open top frame, supporting wheels, pairs ofcrossed pivotally inter-connected side bars arranged between andconnected to the wheels and top frame, means for changing the point ofconnection between one pair of the side bars and the top frame andautomatically locking the bars at the adjusted. points, and a pair ofcontrol bars associated with the last named pair of side bars whereby toinsure uniform elevation of the entire top frame.

8. A carrier comprising a top frame, pairs of pivotally inter-connectedside bars carried by the top frame, wheels at corresponding ends of onepair of the bars, a swivel wheel carrying frame on the other bars, meansfor locking the top frame at any elevation, a pair of control barspivoted at one end to the swivel wheel carrying frame and a pair ofiii-zed fingers pivotally inter-connecting the other ends of the controlbars and one pair of the side bars.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY W. JONES.

